While the cat’s away, the mice will eat tater tots.

Colby’s gone with with my parents for the weekend. He had a 1/2 day scheduled for tomorrow and I was in a childcare pinch. Also, Matt is still working round-the-clock on an endless restoration. I’ve barely seen him since Thanksgiving. My patience with the whole situation of being the only adult around most of the time is wearing thin, but I still know how to enjoy my quiet evenings. What will I do in their absence? I will eat tater tots for supper. They are in the oven right now.

We’re embroiled in this whole pre-adolescent “I love you/I hate you” dichotomy, with nary an end in sight. Everything is either fantastic or life-ending, and I can barely get a word in without a major conflict that will *usually*, eventually end with “oh, cool, you’re right”, but it takes a loooong time to get there. This is the point where I want so badly to write about what is going on, to ask advice from you all, because you’ve been there. But it is also where I remember that his stories are not necessarily my stories to tell anymore. I am squarely where my parents always wished me: “Some day… I hope you have a kid that is just like you!”.

And this whole balance thing? Yeah. Not going so well. I finally broke down and sent Colby to after-school care today, but was so worked up after a faculty meeting that I tanked. I couldn’t find my pace, and I couldn’t take my eyes off the mileage counter on the treadmill. Now, I am a happy runner, but I was just not feeling it. I gave up after two miles, and left feeling so off my game. On the other end of the activity spectrum, I cannot read. When my students tell me they have too much going on to concentrate, I believe them. I just didn’t think it would happen to me. Luckily, I can try again tomorrow.

My students continue to cheer me up when I am bogged down grading and data and assessments. Some funny stuff:

Student 1 – “Ms. Webb? For five dollars, would you eat a crayon?”

Student 2 – “Shit, I used to eat crayons for FREE!”

“Ms. Webb, I’m going to buy you a carnation for Valentine’s Day” I turn around to look at the student. He grins. “Nah, that would be weird. But if it wasn’t weird I totally would”

Today some students asked me to find out if the groundhog truly saw his shadow. I google, announce that yes, he saw his shadow and we will have six more weeks of winter. None of us could figure out if this made our predicted winter shorter or longer! I don’t know if this says something about our collective cognitive capacity OR the fact that we are just Mainers.

Well, it’s Thursday, my favorite day of the week. I am going to eat tater tots for supper, pop in at an event at Colby’s school, and do my Thursday laundry (so there is less to do over the weekend!). I am always wary of wishing time away, but I will gratefully bid adieu to this long, long week.